Progressive Pork
Gilt Selection, Development and Retention: Start With the End in Mind
Replacement-gilt selection starts at birth, but the end goal is to ensure she progresses past parity 1. It's a universal truth that replacement gilts are the foundation of a farm’s future production, and the quality of the candidates matters. You wouldn’t build a hog...
Prepare Your Farm for Environmental Sustainability You Can Prove
On-farm management that's good for your pigs and your business also benefits the environment, but you must be proactive. The term “sustainability” has become something of a buzzword in recent years, with a broad range of definitions and interpretations. But even with...
California Prop 12: What Lies Ahead?
Now that the dust has settled from the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, here's a look at what pork producers can expect going forward. It has been a long road of uncertainty stemming from the 2018 California referendum that’s now known simply as Prop 12, which dictates...
Understanding Your Role in Pork Quality
Keeping pigs healthy and growing is a clear priority on hog farms; less clear is how on-farm actions impact pork quality. Everyone on a hog farm is working toward the same end goal — to produce high quality, nutritious pork. While much pride goes into raising healthy...
How to Keep Productive Females in the Herd Longer
Gilt selection and management are often overlooked as critical drivers of sow lifetime productivity. When thinking about farm productivity there are many factors across each production stage that influence the outcome. Sows in the farrowing room get a lot of attention...
Environmental Considerations for Pre- and Post-weaned Pigs
Pigs face continuous adjustments in their first 8 weeks, but meeting thermal needs is a good start for long-term success. Birth, weaning, transport and placement are all stressful events that can impact the piglets’ survival, vigor and performance. Getting piglets...
Prop 12: Gestation-sow Housing Considerations and Implications
The California law has been delayed from its Jan. 1, 2022, start date, but gestation-sow housing will be forever changed. Hog farmers have a long history of making production and management changes, whether it involves revising diets, adopting new technology or...
Wet/Dry Feeders Offer Grow-Finish Production Gains
South Dakota State University trial reveals growth and feed efficiencies, with some carcass impact The most basic elements to keep grow-finish pigs productive and healthy are feed and water. Providing enough feeder space and waterers to meet the pigs' needs as well as...
Learn the Sights, Sounds, Smells of a Normal Wean-to-finish Barn
Key in on these three senses during your daily walk throughs to ensure the pigs’ needs are being met. Standard operating procedures may differ between production sites, but within those details are universal elements required to meet the pigs’ needs to keep them...
Connecting the Post-weaning Mortality Dots for the Future
Research continues to develop long-term strategies to maximize pig survivability, quality and well-being. It’s no exaggeration to say that 2020 may well be the U.S. pork industry’s most challenging year ever. The unprecedented and unpredictable challenge that COVID-19...